Lorenzo takes pole for Czech Moto GP

World championship leader Jorge Lorenzo will start on pole for Sunday’s Czech Republic MotoGP after finishing fastest in qualifying on Saturday. The Yamaha rider clocked 1min 55.799 seconds, setting a new circuit record and leaving Yamaha’s Cal Crutchlow 0.196 seconds behind in second place. Spain’s Dani Pedrosa, trailing Lorenzo by 18 points in the world championship, came in third 0.528 seconds behind after dominating all three free practices. Lorenzo’s Yamaha team-mate Ben Spies of the United States finished fourth in qualifying, ahead of two Italians  — Andrea Dovizioso (Yamaha) and Ducati star Valentino Rossi. “We started in a very good way in the first practice but then we couldn’t improve the bike, we tried everything and it was impossible,” said Lorenzo.